Our Family Has Fallen

Chapter 404: Chapter 272: The Lord’s Mercy_1

Lance was too busy to notice these things.

The process was a bit slower this time, and Lance didn’t even use a ”Bless” Strengthening on him because after his secret injuries had recovered, most of the potential in that body was restored, achieving what the panel would denote as [Elite].

Of course, this was just Lance making a comparison to his own physical condition at the time, and since people vary from one to another, even among the Elites, there were differences.

”No more backaches, no more leg pains, and my eyes aren’t blurry anymore... It feels like... I’ve returned to my youth,” said Balistan. He had some level of mastery over his own body, a skill no doubt related to not having undergone extensive ”Bless” Strengthening.

”Reynard, come here.” Lance looked worse than before, but that was deliberate. He merely wanted to give off that impression. Only by doing so could he show that he had worked hard and prevent the panel from taking all the credit.

”My loyalty!” Reynard knelt before Lance, his expression serious, showing a sharp, resolute demeanor.

After some evaluation, Lance understood that Reynard’s physique had definitely reached [Elite] level. Although he had some secret injuries, being in the prime of his life meant they didn’t affect him much, and his condition was quite good.

Now, Lance estimated that unless he elevated him to [Master], there wouldn’t be much significant improvement. The problem was that he didn’t have that much Spiritual Essence left. Low-level upgrades were within his capacity to handle, but this one required too much Spiritual Essence.

Soon Lance had a plan in mind: he would heal Reynard’s secret injuries and then perform a ”Bless” Strengthening. When it was nearly complete, he would grandiosely feign exhaustion, pretending to be on the brink of collapse without actually falling over.

This reaction scared the others. Dismas quickly stepped forward to support him, exclaiming, ”My Lord, are you alright?”

”It’s nothing. The consumption was a bit high, so I just need some rest,” Lance replied, taking the opportunity to caution them. ”All Supernatural Powers come at a great cost; you all must be careful and prudent.”

Reynard also stood up, feeling lighter in his body, as if he had been wearing armor for a long time and suddenly took it off. Moreover, a warm sensation nourished his body from within.

However, the Lord’s condition made them understand the cost of Strengthening. The Lord had truly sacrificed so much for humanity...

Lance concluded this secret assembly. Strengthening them had always been part of the plan, yet the consumption still felt unbearable to him.

But if he could control an elite force with all members at the [Elite] rank, he figured he could practically do as he pleased in this world.

Wait, isn’t that just like the Church’s Order of the Holy Light?

Lance smacked his lips, realizing the road ahead was long and arduous, unless he could farm Spiritual Essence like crops and harvest it as if reaping leeks.

「...」

In the north of Hamlet, deep in the wilderness.

Geralt, concealed by the tree canopy, nestled himself atop a large tree, settling into a spot made by just a few branches.

This was his fourth day venturing into the wilderness.

Given the wilderness’s terrain, it wasn’t feasible to bring his horse, so he had resupplied in town before setting out.

Following the route provided by the mission details, Geralt didn’t enter the corrupted area. However, even the ordinary wilderness, with its abnormal vigor and twisted, bizarre environment, exerted immense pressure on him.

Having traveled the continent for so long and seen all sorts of bizarre geographical phenomena, he found this place to be the most peculiar and the most oppressive.

Guided by the instructions, he quickly found the destroyed camp. Nothing remained but the aftermath of a fire. However, bones that the flames couldn’t completely consume hinted at the atrocities committed there.

The situation also made it clear to Geralt that the Lord’s talk of an evil cult was no fiction.

Most traces around were either destroyed or erased by the fire, but his tracking skills helped him detect some clues.

Someone had been here after the fire!

He followed these until he discovered another camp, which was promised to earn him ten Gold Coins just for guiding the way.

Yet, this wasn’t enough to satisfy him. The mission described other camps in the vicinity, and he was somewhat... Curious, or rather, dubious about the Lord’s description.

Having wandered the continent for years, he didn’t blindly trust anyone; he trusted himself more.

So, he remained hidden nearby, waiting for the camps to make contact and also to uncover their secrets, to see if they were indeed as malevolent as described.

And there, he finally witnessed a scene that was disturbing and beyond description...

The camp had somehow settled the initial chaos, meaning the old, weak, sick, and disabled had already been passively ’Ascended’, leaving only the robust behind.

These folks engaged in fierce battles by day and continued with intense physical ”operations” by night, in the literal sense, indulging in crazed carnal desires.

The victors of the day would receive the finest treatment, becoming the stars of the subsequent orgiastic rites.

After undergoing the Flesh Rite, the men became more robust, and the women more vigorous. They threw themselves into group activities with an enthusiasm they hadn’t known before—something unthinkable during their time as refugees.

This was a reason why the evil cult could firmly hold its followers and make them fanatical.

But the price was those women who lost their sense of self, becoming mere toys used to please the victors. More tragic still was the brainwashing by the evil cult in such an environment. This caused them to lose all self-awareness and even actively seek to please the winners.